i did the grand a few weeks ago... if he and i had started at the same time, he would have been able to lap me about 4 times before i summited. imagine seeing the same person run past you 16 times while climbing the biggest mountain you've ever climbed?

The record was broken again last Wednesday by a Rocky Mountain National Park climbing ranger Andy Anderson who broke Jornet's record by almost a minute. Jornet is famous for cheating by cutting switchbacks and he did that on the Grand. The Teton rangers were putting out posts about not cutting switchbacks because of the uproar. Anderson stayed on the trail so his record is clean and it is good to have an honest American holding the new speed ascent. I just hope with all of these people running up and down the Grand that nobody kicks any rocks loose and hurts someone else. It is not a theme park and lives are at stake, I hope the racers don't get too carried away. It is good to see a climbing ranger and not a sponsered athlete take the prize, the Jenny Lake Climbing Rangers are probably excited about that, they have some pretty amazing athletes in their ranks.

Need to clear up a few things about your post. Kilian is about as far from a cheater as anyone. Running the grand has no official route except the start and finish. He used well established short cuts that park rangers also use. The use of these is discouraged but is in no way cheating. Kilian will be the first to tell you his route. Implying that he is a cheat shows your ignorance of his character.

Also stating that runners on the grand are going to be kicking rocks down and causing problems is ridiculous. People that are capable of running the grand aren't the ones knocking rocks loose.

To imply that trail runners are somehow so much more skilled that they are not capable of making the mistake of accidentally knocking a rock down on those below them I cannot agree with. They are probably more skilled then most and I think it is amazing that they can run up a peak such as the Grand. My point was only that if it becomes a competition to get the fastest time up there, someone might just for a split second go for the extra speed and touch one of the tens of thousands of loose rocks waiting to fall. Somebody not as skilled as Jornet or Anderson might decide to give it their best and the Owen-Spaulding is a busy route. You are right that I should not say anything about the character of Jornet, but I did read that he finished first in a race at Snowbird and they gave the prize money to the second finisher because of his alleged trail cutting, if that is fact I don't know but that is what I read. I just think it is cool that Andy Anderson had a faster time and he followed the same route as the 1983 record holder.

wyopeakMike wrote:You are right that I should not say anything about the character of Jornet, but I did read that he finished first in a race at Snowbird and they gave the prize money to the second finisher because of his alleged trail cutting, if that is fact I don't know but that is what I read.

I believe this is just a difference between European and American rules in trail ultras -- cutting switchbacks is accepted in Europe, but not here. I can see the point of having a "no shortcuts" rule for trail races, but not for ascent FKTs. Choosing the fastest route is part of the game.

wyopeakMike wrote:You are right that I should not say anything about the character of Jornet, but I did read that he finished first in a race at Snowbird and they gave the prize money to the second finisher because of his alleged trail cutting, if that is fact I don't know but that is what I read.

I believe this is just a difference between European and American rules in trail ultras -- cutting switchbacks is accepted in Europe, but not here. I can see the point of having a "no shortcuts" rule for trail races, but not for ascent FKTs. Choosing the fastest route is part of the game.

Park regulations prohibit shortcutting the switchbacks. Even if you're one of those types who hate rules, it's hard to deny that shortcutting doesn't add yet more unsightly scars to the mountains. Why is it okay to make an exception for someone pursuing some record a relative handful of people actually care about? Personally, I do not want to see the Tetons start looking more like a Colorado 14er than they already do.

It's a shame that some are driven to treat mountaineering like any other mindless sport.

I can understand the drive to make the first ascent of something, but who really cares how fast someone ran up some mountain, and why is such an obscure thing justification for ethical shortcuts?

Next thing you know, climbing and trail running will be Olympic sports.

Some like to go first, some fastest, some in winter, some in a push, some for photos, some for voodoo dances and howling at the moon. As long as they are doing what they enjoy then they're going the right way about it.

Sean is correct about Euro vs American races. The race in Utah was a skyrunning series race. Skyrunning rules allow for an "open" course. The director of the race in Utah didn't specify that shortcutting wasn't allowed. Kilian ran as he and everyone else has at races in Europe. At the finish he graciously accepted that he was disqualified from the prize money. The next US race was pikes peak and Kilian didn't cut switchbacks on that course.

I think Andys performances on Longs peak and now the Grand are incredibly impressive. Beating Kilian's time in any race is a huge accomplishment. No fanfare makes it even better.

@Mountain Goat...Why are you reading this post if you don't care about how fast someone ran up a mountain. And why are you belittling people that enjoy pushing themselves aerobiclly in the mountains rather than on a track. I've run the Grand and I've climbed it over multiple days with my Dad. Both ways were incredibly fun but different. Give me a good frown next time you see me running on a trail!